Electric switch.



G. B. GRAY. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUo,so,19o9.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

nwntoa G. B. GRAY.

ELECTFC SWITCH.

APMM-MNH M Lm 11113.30. 190A 1,1 15,810. Patented N0v.3,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

`sive to variations in pressure, increasing movement in one' direction with a sluggish .UNITED salaires Pagans Fries.

emitan. B. GRAY, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE AS.

SIGNMENTS, T0 AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTRGL v 55 SIGNAL COMPANY, 0F PITTS BUEGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ELECTRIC To all whom. 'it may concern.'

Be itk'nown that I, `(Sraiinisrin B. G RAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsbur h; in the county of Allegheny and State ofgPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Electric Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in electric switches and' is designed to provide an electric switch of general application but which at thejsame time is particularlv useful in connect-iron with an automatic safety signal system for railways for which system Letters Patent No. 909083 were granted to me on January 5, 1909. f l

The present.b invention is designed to provide an electric switch capable of rapid return, or' tomove sluggishly on .the application of the switch actuating meansl and, when released, to return quickly tothe `initial position, the structurebeing such that thev switch may be set to act in either manner with facilit In accordance with the present inventionv there is provided a switching-means responpressure of a fluid causing the active moyement of the switch and decreasing pressure` of the fluid causing the return movement of the switch.

The tluid pressure may be generated in any suitable manner, but since it. is customary on railway trains to have a constant source of fluid pressure iu the air-brake sys teni` such fluid pressure may be utilized for the operation of the switch hy suitable controlling means such as shown in the aforesaid Letters Patent or by any other suitable i controlling means. Y

'ithinthe switch structure there my be Epecttlcation of Letters Patent.

Application lcd August 30,

Y The chamber 2 lodged a Sullicicntquantity of a liquid. prefcrahly one which is not materially' affected by low temperatures. and this liquid may be acted upon h v air'pressure from the brake system so that through the intermediamv of. a suitable pressure responsive 1h-vice such;l for instance as a Bourdon tulle, an electric Circuit. or electric rrcuits may he controlled g either automaticallyv or at the. Will of ani SWITCH.

Patented Nov, 1914. i999. serial no. 515,259.

operator depending upon the character and purpose of the circuit. The invention will be best understood from a consideration ofthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specitication'in which drawings,

Figure l is a longitudinal section, with parts in elevation, of an electric Switch structure embodying the present invention. Fig.- 2 is a section of the line A-B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section of the line C-D of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an end elevation` of the structure of Fig. l from the switch end, with arts omitted. Fig. 5 is a section of the. line F of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section' of the line o-H if Fig. 1.

Referring tothe drawings there is shown l Vless diagrainatically, that is, the structure illustrated may be changed as may be found necessary for varying conditions, or for the Vpurposes of manufacture.

At one of the ends of the `body structurel l, there are formed two chambers 9 3 which may be closed at one end bya cap plate 4.

is entered by a pipe 5 coming from any .suitable source of compressed fluid` such` for instance as the pressure side of an air-bral e system on a train, especially when the device forming thesubject matter of the present invention is installed' on a railway train.

Lodgcd in the chamber 3 is a piston 6 normally urged toward thatend of the chamher $5 remote from the cap plate 4 by a spring housed in the chamber 3. The spring 7 engages at one end'the piston 6 and at the other end is engaged by a block 8 in turn controlled by a`set .screw 9 passing through a threaded hole in the cover i and this set screw ma)v he secured `in any adjusted position hy a lock nut 10. The chamber 2 at the hottoin. that is the end remote from the cap plate 4. communicates with the corresponding end of the chamber 3 through a ronduit il -formed in the body p0rtion'1,- and Where the conduit l1 opens into the chamber 3 it is; formed into a valve seat for the reception of a valve l2, this valve havv a body structure 1, which is shown more or.

after the pressure in the pipe 5 has been reduced before the Bourdon tube will respond and return toits normal position.

It is sometimes desirable that the initial operation of the Bourdon tube should be slow and its return motion rapid. Under these circumstances the valve 12 may be removed to a. seat 36 at the end of the passage or conduit 1l opening into the chamber 2, a suitable cage at 14 being used to prevent the unseating of the valve by the returning fluid and permitting the valve to again assume its normal position. Under these circumstances the How of liquid from the chamber 2 into the chamber 3 is controlled by the small passage 18 and consequently is slow so that' considerable time elapses before the pressure in the Bourdon tube is sufficient to cause the movement of the same to carry the bridging contact 30 into engage ment with the fingers 34, but the return movement of the Bourdon tube on the reduction of pressure within the chamber 2 is rapid because the valve '12 will then readily yield to pressure and provide a large return passage for the fluidinto the chamber 2.

What is claimed is:

1, An electric switch comprising a pressure responsive circuit controller movable freely in one direction, and means for retarding and regulating the speed of the movement /of said circuit controller in the other direction, said means being adjustable at will to determine the direction of retarded movement.

2. An electric switch comprising a. circuit maker, a Bourdon tube for operating the same, and a controller for admitting pressure fluid to said Bourdon tube and for per mitting the subsequent escape of fluid under pressure, said Bourdon tube acting freely in one direction land sluggishly in the other direction.

3. ln combination, a pressure-responsive circuit controller, means for supplying fluid under pressure thereto, and means governing flow of the fluid under pressure to and from the circuit controller to cause'a relatively rapid movement of the circuit controller in one direction and a sluggish movement of the controller in the other direction.

i. In combination, a pressure-responsive circuit cont-roller, means for supplying fluid under pressure thereto, and means g'overning flow of the fluid under pressure to vand from the circuit controller arranged to 11d-- mit the fluid under pressure freely in on'` direction and to retard its movement in the other direction, whereby to cause a relatively rapid movement of Athe circuit controller in one direction and a sluggish movement of the circuit controller in the opposite direction. I

ln combination, a pressureresponsive controller, nieans in said passage or choc circuit controller, means for supplying fluid under pressure thereto, and means govern -ing iioi'v of fluid under pressure to and from the circuit controller Vto cause a relatively rapid movement of the circuit controller in of fluid under pressure thereto, a supply passage extending from the conduit ing a reverse liovv back through the passage to the conduit, a return passage extending from the controller back to the supply conduit, means in said return passage arranged toV permit a return flow from the controller' back to the conduit and to prevent direct flow from the supply 'conduit through such return passage to the controller, and gov erning means in the supply conduit adapted to permit free flow of the fluid under pres-- sure in one direction and to retard lion' o the fluid in the opposite direction.

7. In combination, a pressu1e-responsive circuit controller, a conduit for the supply ofA fluid under pressure thereto provided with valve seats in the opposite ends thereof, and an interchangeable leak valve permit-- ting lfree flow of fluid in one direction and a retarded flow in the other direction arranged for engagement With the valve seat at either end of the supply conduit.

8 In combination, a pressureresponsive circuit controller, a supply passage leading thereto. a piston chamber into which the supply passage opens, a piston in said chamber controlling the flouv through the supply passage, a pressure chamber, a supply conduit extending from the pressure chamber to a point beneath the piston in the piston cham er. valve seats in the opposite ends of the supply conduit within the pressure chamber and piston chamber respectively, and an interchangeable leak valve permitting free flow of fluid in one direction and retarded flow inthe other direction. adapted for cooperation with either of the said valve seats.

9. ln combination, a pressure-responsive circuit controller, a supply passage leading thereto, a valve for checking reverse fiovv through said passage, a piston chamber into I which the supply passage opens, a piston in said chamber controlling entrance to `the apply passage, a pressure chamber, a supply conduit extending from the pressure chamber to a point beneath the piston in the piston chamber, ar leak valve in said suppplv conduit adapted to permit free flow of fluid in one direction and retarded flou of fluid in the opposite direction, a return passage extending -from the circuit controller back Sil ne .l

to thepcint of entry of the suppl conduit l In testimony that I claim the foregoing into thopiston chamber, and a ya ve in the as my own, I ,have hereto axed my s1gnareturn passage adb. ted to mnt-flow 'from vtureJ in the presence of two wltnesses.

the` circuit ontro 1er vbac to thoJ supply GARDNERl B. GRAY. 5 conduit ndto'ch ik owfrom thgsupply l Witnesses:

conduit thxou h'the returp passage to the H. H. voN SCHLICK,

circuit contro er. GU1Y P.l THURBER. 

